A reflection on a community that can connect within — Communication is a foundational element of human life. Whether conversing with friends, performing for art, or dictating the law, we are linked by a standard set of communication skills and tools to understand each other and understand ourselves. What is discourse community? Discourse communities are a powerful component of human social structures, stemming from…

A government of the aging, by the aging, and for the aging is myopic — President Lincoln’s famous catchphrase that you can’t fool all of the people all of the time has never been more relevant and critical. In virtually all situations in which we find ourselves in our daily lives, language provides a well-developed means of encoding and transmitting complex and subtle ideas. Language…

Although most Americans continue to resist socialism, it has an upsurge in public support. — A genuine interest inspired the socialist experiments of the 20th Century in improving life for the masses. Still, the results instead delivered untold suffering in economic deprivation and political tyranny. …

There are beliefs and things most of us want so badly to believe that they become facts, and most likely, they are wrong — Our political opinions and attitudes are integral to who we are and how we construct our identities. These days, you see people’s gradual, redeeming process of realizing that so much of what they thought about the world might’ve been misguided and must now change — about COVID-19 and wokeness, Russia…

Women joining movements that lead to a more egalitarian democracy strengthens the autocrat’s resolve to tighten their hold on power — With totalitarianism currently in focus, what does it mean for women’s rights? All we have to do is to look around. In China, women are silenced; in Saudi Arabia, women still have to get approval from their male family members to seek healthcare, and the Taliban has abolished women from…

We now live in a world of fewer misconceptions — During the last few days — and over the past two decades — Vladimir Putin has done more than any other human to remind us that the world order we have taken for granted is remarkably fragile. Earlier this week, Putin raised the threat of nuclear war when he ordered…

A psychological process of demonizing the enemy, making them seem less than human and not worthy — Dehumanization makes slavery, torture, and human trafficking possible. It has fueled countless acts of violence, human rights violations, war crimes, and genocides with ingredients that contain power, prejudice, irrational fears, and cognitive dissonance. Such elements remove the moral barrier against cruelty, and systemic discrimination, enabling them to arise. …

Ending friendships is severe, no matter if you are doing the breaking up or the one being broken up with — We are hardwired to connect with others, and our friendships are closely linked with our well-being and sense of belonging because they are voluntary and add meaning to our lives. …

Barbarity runs deep and dark — “Humanity’s greatest political achievement has been the decline of war. That is now in jeopardy.” Yuval Noah Harari Events are unfolding with stunning speed. As Russian troops continue to invade Ukraine, for Ukraine’s Jews and Jews worldwide, the threat of war rouses recollections of past horrors. Many American Jews trace…